Just thought of a great idea! Monasteries inside Prison Grounds

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Madaglan

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A lot of people talk about how sad it is that Catholics in prison are the targets of fundamentalist Christian rant, and how many Catholics in prison seem to have little to none support from Catholics outside of prison. Well, I thought of an awesome idea. It would have to go through state and federal governments, but it would be really awesome if it worked out.

Many prisoners are in prison for long periods of time. Some are in prison for life. Although many Catholic prisoners may not be repentant, many are and put their faith fully in the Lord’s mercy. The problem for these latter prisoners: they have very little chances of being able to express that faith with others. So, I thought of this: A monastery inside prison grounds. Perhaps the Church would have to help provide funds, but wouldn’t it be great if in every state there were at least one monastery inside a prison? Prisoners who feel as they have nothing left in life, since they may be in prison for life, but who are truly sorry for the crimes they did, and want to turn their lives over to Christ (like St. Dismas) can perhaps become religious monks and group together in the one or two Catholic prison-monasteries within their state. I suppose that prisoners who are already married but have little hope of ever reuniting with their spouses, can become Third Order Franciscians.

Does this sound like a great idea to any of you? I mean, one would have to be careful in whom one admits to become a monk in the monastery; but if there is a sufficient period of discernment, then I think it might work out. :clapping:
 
Interesting, but would justice be served if you commited a terrible crime and were given a life sentence and you served it out cloistered in peace. I know we should be forgiving but shouldn’t it be up to the victims families or a jury?
 
Michael C:
Interesting, but would justice be served if you commited a terrible crime and were given a life sentence and you served it out cloistered in peace. I know we should be forgiving but shouldn’t it be up to the victims families or a jury?
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I like the idea. There’s nothing that says monastery life should be easy (even for those outside of prisons!). *Ora et Labora *(prayer and work) sounds like a better penal method than just *Labora. *Besides, the correctional facilities in this country are built around the idea that someone can be reformed. What better way to reform them than to help them experience the life-changing love of God?
 
Interesting, but would justice be served if you commited a terrible crime and were given a life sentence and you served it out cloistered in peace. I know we should be forgiving but shouldn’t it be up to the victims families or a jury?
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I understand what you’re saying. That’s why I’m suggesting a monastery inside a prison instead of one outside. Those in the monastery would still be within the prison environment. They would not be allowed to exit the premises of the prison. To be fair to the other prisoners, those inside the monastery would receive the same food, the same items of personal care, etc. It would be no easier a life than inside the prison itself. The only difference would be that in the monastery the individuals would read, pray and do work collectively at times, except when they are locked into their cloisters. The monastery could be looked over by prison guards if deemed necessary.

All this makes me want to become a monk and create my own order–The Dismasians 😃
 
I like the idea. I have no problem with this as long as safety and security are maintained. I wish all prisoners could find peace behind the walls. A word of warning though. Such a plan would not involve extra privileges (other than of serving the Church in prayer) or a loosened security or it would attract those who wished only to play the system.
 
interesting. first, i’d second the idea that ora et labora would be incorporated, and would probably be MORE difficult than the life of cable tv and three square meals/day that most inmates have now. instead of their lives being squandered in working out all day and watching tv, which both heighten the very elements that probably landed them in prison (nothing against tv - see my post in the tv thread), it would focus them on prayer and holiness.

in fact, it would be a great ministry for the church to take over correctional work altogether. to work in conjunction with the state to help reform prisoners in a way that really sticks - and makes an eternal difference in their lives.

unfortunately, you’d run into a very strange, upside down, perverted form of ‘separation of church and state’ in this instance, i think. people would be horrified that we were, in a strange reversal from roman times, throwing the lions to the christians.

in a similar vein, though, one of the things i love SO MUCH about the catholic church is its intrinsic ability to survive, and even thrive, in the midst of difficulty. the fact that if, as a christian, i am thrown in prison, not only is my ministry NOT ended, it’s made even more effective. i am in the midst, then, of people who greatly need Him, have no where to go, and are, literally and figuratively, a ‘captive’ audience. 🙂 to say mass, pray rosaries, hear confessions, in prison - this would be a great thing. i almost wanna be thrown in prison so i can get busy. 🙂

anyway, i think your idea is a good one, but as with anything in the real world, fraught with pragmatic difficulties. any idea how to make this become a reality?
 
I like the idea. I have no problem with this as long as safety and security are maintained. I wish all prisoners could find peace behind the walls. A word of warning though. Such a plan would not involve extra privileges (other than of serving the Church in prayer) or a loosened security or it would attract those who wished only to play the system
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You are very perceptive. I thought about that, too. Perhaps to keep those away who think there would be loosened security, security could be bolstered around the area of the monastery. Also, the monks in the monastery could work harder than those inside the rest of the prison. This might prevent those people who think being a monk will make for an easier life from entering the monastery.
 
anyway, i think your idea is a good one, but as with anything in the real world, fraught with pragmatic difficulties. any idea how to make this become a reality?
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I honestly don’t know much about the prison systems. I would imagine that the separation between Church and State would be a big issue if one were to request building a monastery inside prison walls.

If anyone has good legal experience, I would enjoy any advice on the possibility of having a monastery inside state property. Perhaps the monastery building itself could become formally a state possession, rather than the Church’s possession.
 
prisons already have chapels. this would simply be an extension of that concept.

sounds logical to me. but i suspect it would encounter violent opposition, both human and spiritual, if someone tried to put it into practice.
 
Michael C:
Interesting, but would justice be served if you commited a terrible crime and were given a life sentence and you served it out cloistered in peace. I know we should be forgiving but shouldn’t it be up to the victims families or a jury?
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This is a good point, and may cause political problems.

For myself, it isn’t a problem because I don’t believe people should be locked up because we are mad at them, but because we are afraid of them. I wish I could counsel crime victims who come to parole hearings and vent anger and insist that they or their relatives suffered and the prisoner should be made to suffer. They need to get over their feelings of revenge and get some healing.
Rom12:19:
Beloved, do not look for revenge but leave room for the wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”
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Alan
 
ya, as christians, we are operating under the teaching that we are to help criminals to be transformed into new creations of God, not to be whipped in proportion to their crimes, in vengence or even to make them ‘suffer as much as their victims’. that mentality (make them suffer) only perpetuates the evil of the original actions.

however, any such program as suggested by madaglen would have to contend with the fact that many of the friends and families of victims would NOT be operating under this mentality. they would see any actions to love or benefit the criminals responsible for harm done to their family as betrayal of their loved one. this could result in violence done to the clergy involved in such ministry.

that’d be a consideration.
 
something similar already takes place in some prisons, those who sign up for regular participation in religious services, bible study etc. by visiting prison ministers get out of work, extra privileges etc. as long as their other behavior is withing bounds. This includes those programs run by ministers of non-Christian religions (mainly Muslim).
 
Great Idea, very possible. IFI in Kansas and Texes do something like that, only Protestant. It was started by Chuck Colson.

:blessyou:

Pax,

An Ex-con who left prison to go to a Catholic College in Kansas.
Benedicitnes are the best, love the motto, Prayer is our Work, Work is Our Prayer.
 
In a certain sense, not only does the idea have merit, but it actually returns us to the original idea of what a “penitentiary” has traditionally intended to be: a place of prayer, penance, and reparation for sin, and reformation of life.
 
I do not think this is a good idea at all.

A calling to the religious life is a precious thing. I do not think someone in prison could truly discern such a call. That is I think most would take up this life for the wrong reasons.

I think there would be legal and political concerns that would not allow this to happen not to mention that I doubt that any religious order would jump at this idea.
 
Have any of you ever done time?
Do any of you have any friends or family in prison?
 
It’s apparent from the postings in this thread you’re all good people and have good intentions but I think prison needs to be a deterrent. If someone really feels passionate about commiting a crime he might think if he’s convicted he’ll go the “Monastary” route. Just something to think about. Peace.
 
Church Militant:
Have any of you ever done time?
Do any of you have any friends or family in prison?
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Yes, see my earlier post on this thread. I was, served almost 7 years for Att. 2nd degree Murder
 
Michael C:
It’s apparent from the postings in this thread you’re all good people and have good intentions but I think prison needs to be a deterrent. If someone really feels passionate about commiting a crime he might think if he’s convicted he’ll go the “Monastary” route. Just something to think about. Peace.
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Michael;

While I respect your view I just don’t think it’s true. The thing is, that people don’t think about getting caught when they commit crimes, they think they will get away with it. That is why the Death Penalty is not a deterrant. Social Sceince bares this out in research about the motivations behind criminal acts. While it sounds like it may be true, it is really what is known as Psycho-logic. It just makes logical sense in the mind, not to the rules of logic nor to empirical studies.
 
Michael C:
It’s apparent from the postings in this thread you’re all good people and have good intentions but I think prison needs to be a deterrent. If someone really feels passionate about commiting a crime he might think if he’s convicted he’ll go the “Monastary” route. Just something to think about. Peace.
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I have to agree with Dismas on this. Also, the idea of monastic life would be more unappealing to most criminals than prison.

I think one barrier to the concept, though, would be that once you allow for segregation of a Catholic order inside a prison, there would be others wanting to segregate for less healthy reasons, claiming that if you let the Catholics have a monastery, you have to let their group have an equivalent.

Still, it would be a good idea to have perhaps the equivalent of a secular order or third order to provide support for those that would use the time in prison for the good of the Church, through prayer and meditation.
 
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